Assorted Scribblings of a Minor Author

Month: January 2018

Saturday, I knocked an item off my bucket list that I’d been wanting to do for decades. I saw the Harlem Globetrotters perform, live and in person. It was exciting and hilarious and worth the wait.

I was delighted to learn there was a woman on the team, Crissa “Ace” Jackson. The only female Globetrotter I knew of was Granny, team manager/bus driver/chaperone from the old Saturday morning cartoon. It turns out Ace is the thirteenth woman to be a Harlem Globetrotter. She was an excellent player, not just a “token girl.”

Ace Jackson, signing autographs after the game.

One of the other players, Jahmani “Hot Shot” Swanson,” is a Little Person. He was no token, either, and is listed on the team’s website as guard, not entertainment.

Hot Shot Swanson, standing on the R of FedEx Forum.

After the game, my daughter got autographs from Ace and DeAndre “Dragon” Taylor. He’s the tall chap in the blue shirt. She’s the brunette in the gray shirt with her hair in a ponytail.

Dragon Taylor, signing autographs after the game.

I’ve wanted to see the Harlem Globetrotters perform since I watched the Saturday morning cartoon show. They were fantastically funny.

I am disappointed in you, sir. This isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last. I pointed out in 2012 you were unfit to be president. I repeated it in 2016. I’ve kept repeating it in blogs, on Twitter, in Facebook, in Alternative Truths and in More Alternative Truths.

I am disappointed in you. Not surprised by your vulgarity — I’ve come to expect that –but disappointed that you are doing such a poor job as leader of the United States of America and a worse job as the international representative of our nation.

An acquaintance of mine pointed out that this has been a busy week for you: people seriously suggesting that Oprah Winfrey is better qualified for your job than you are, cancelling/postponing a trip to the UK and lying about the reasons, Mr. Ed jokes about you being a stable genius, and rudely referring to other countries by a word I prefer not to repeat.

Some people think you have Narcissistic Personality Disorder. If true, you may be incapable of distinguishing between truth and lies. Some people think you’ve inherited your father’s Alzheimer’s syndrome. I’m curious as to the results of your physical examination. I hope it included a mental and psychological evaluation, so these questions may be answered.

Whatever the reason, sir, your behavior is unpresidential. It is unbecoming. We’ve had racist presidents before. We’ve had sexist presidents before. We’ve had presidents who used too much profanity before. They, however, were at least aware of the concept of discretion, that there’s a time and place to say certain things, and the Oval Office is not that place when it comes to making vulgar and discourteous comments.

There are grounds — multiple grounds — for impeachment, sir. Emoluments, conflicts of interest, nepotism for a certainty, with the possibility of treason for your dealings with Russia. Your behavior gives grounds for the 25th Amendment. You don’t seem to be enjoying your job, Mr. President. You’re certainly not very good at it. You are soiling the good name of the United States of America in the eyes of the world, lowering our reputation amongst our peers. Why not resign? It would be easier for you and easier for the nation. You’d have more time for golf and more time to spend with your grandchildren.

You don’t understand the three branches of government or the system of checks and balances. You don’t understand the Constitution. Worse, you don’t seem to understand how little you do comprehend.

Please, sir, for the good of the nation, seriously consider resigning. There’s no shame in admitting the job was too big for you.

Respectfully yours,

Susan M. Macdonald

PS I was a fifth-generation Republican until November 9, 2016. I refuse to belong to any party that has an unethical businessman with a documented history of sexism and racism as its leader. I have not decided whether or not I may return to the GOP if you step down from the presidency.

Schreyer Ink Publishing is kicking off 2018 with the opening of our 6th anthology: Slave to the Axe Song

Reading Period: Jan 1 – Feb 28
Publication Date: April 1
Payment: We run on a royalty split for anthologies. Payments are made every 6 months via paypal.
Word Count: Our word count is more of a guideline. We’re less interested in flash fiction than short fiction. Aim for 3,000-12,000 words. Don’t self-reject on word count. If in doubt, send a query using the contact form.
Theme: Classic Fantasy

We’re looking for classic fantasy themes and character classes: wizards and mages, barbarian warriors, knights and paladins, rogues and clerics. Think enchanted swords, ancient curses, epic battles, long-standing feuds, and heroic quests. Preference will be given to sword and sorcery style over steam punk or urban. While we are looking for classic-inspired we still want your original take, your…